Best Instagram-famous beauty products of 2018

In the market for a new moisturiser? Gone are the days of perusing beauty halls to find the one you want. Now, a simple scroll through Instagram will present hundreds of potential options. In fact, thanks to the rise of makeup pages and the skintellectual influencer, we now know more about beauty than ever before.

In theory, the rise of Instagram should make shopping for beauty products easier than ever, so why does it feel like it’s getting increasingly harder? The problem lies in the extent of new information out there. If a new product proves to be a hit on the Gram, you can guarantee we’re going to want to try it. But, with what feels like millions of new beauty posts a day, each with their own agenda and opinion, it’s becoming near on impossible to decide on which products are worth buying.

The success of a product on Instagram relies on two key things: 1. How well it photographs and 2. The people that are shouting about it. If a product looks pretty on the shelf and has a strong team of influencers backing it, a new Insta beauty phenomenon is born. But what about how well the product actually works? In a world that is far more about the visuals than the words, choosing to buy a product that you’ve seen on Instagram can prove very risky business.

To give you a helping hand, we’ve sifted through the biggest Instagram beauty hits of 2018 and rounded up the ones that get full points for both packaging and results. From miracle face masks to game-changing makeup palettes, these are the beauty products that deserve every ounce of their Insta fame…

Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask

If this blue tube looks familiar, it’s because it’s featured in almost every viral beauty flat lay since Kim Kardashian West shouted about it at the start of the year. The Jet Lag Mask embodies everything that makes a good Insta-famous beauty product. First is the packaging. The simplistic beauty of this blue tube makes it worthy of pride of place on your dressing table. Secondly, the mask itself is truly skin transforming. Formulated with glow-giving vitamin C, blemish disguising niacinamide and green tea to reduce inflammation, this creamy life-restoring mask is about to become your skin saviour.

£42 | Cult Beauty | Buy it now

Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Porefining Face Mask

Previously known as Sand & Sky Brilliant Skin Purifying Pink Clay Mask, the chances are you will have had countless selfies showcasing this millennial pink mask grace your feed. But the reality is, this detoxifying mask is more than just a pretty face. After just 10 minutes on the skin, the natural Australian ingredients work to banish blackheads and amp up your glow, making it perfect for those that are short on time.

£39.90 | Sand & Sky | Buy it now

Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint

When Rihanna released her all-inclusive makeup range, Fenty Beauty, back in 2017, Instagram went a little crazy – to say the least. So, when it was revealed earlier this year that the brand would release a long-wear liquid lipstick, people really started to lose it. Delivering best in class pigment, weightless comfort and an edited shade range that manages to suit all skin tones, Rihanna has managed to knock Kylie Jenner off of her liquid lipstick Instagram thrown.

£19 | Harvey Nichols | Buy it now

Morphe The Jaclyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette

With over 5.7million Instagram followers under her belt, it’s not wonder that when US beauty blogger Jaclyn Hill joined forces with makeup giant Morphe to create a 35-shade eyeshadow palette, it received a fair amount of attention on social media. Comprising mostly of buttery pinks, nudes and browns this hero palette provides hundreds of wearable combinations for both day and night. Trust us when we say there isn’t a single shade you won’t use.

£37 | Look Fantastic | But it now

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum

Fragrance free, paraben free, sulphate free and vegan, you might have already been familiar with the colourful bottles of Drunk Elephant prior to 2018. However, having only very recently launched in the UK, this clean skincare brand should now officially be on your radar. Full of vitamin B5 and various fruit extracts for a deeply nourished, glowing complexion, there’s good reason that the B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum is such a hit. The best bit? This light-as-a-feather serum can be used on the hands too!

£52 | Space NK | Buy it now

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream

It’s hard to believe that prior to 2018, this cult moisturiser wasn’t even available to buy in the UK. Luckily, gone are the days of having to get friends to smuggle it over on stateside trips, now we can purchase with just one click. With its pretty pastel packaging, it’s no wonder that this moisturiser has been a regular on shelfies across the land. But the most impressive thing?

Taking inspiration from the skincare regimes of Anicent Egypt, this moisturiser is formulated with lactose from goat’s milk to deliver maximum hydration and serious nourishment, without any greasiness. If you’re in the market for a new moisturiser, this is the one to buy.

£55 | Kate Somerville | Buy it now

IGK Hair Beach Club Volumising Texture Spray

The can speaks for itself really, doesn’t it? But don’t be fooled by the decorative packaging, this texturisng spray shouldn’t be overlooked. Formulated without salt, this spray gives a finish to hair like no other. Without weighing your locks down, a few sprays of this to the roots adds a grittiness that we thought was only achievable through a trip to the beach. Think of it as Californian cool girl in a can.

£25 | Space NK | Buy it now

BYBI Supercharge Serum

Popular all year but launched just this month in a new neo-mint glass bottle, (the original was gold and pink) the simple but gorg packaging was always bound to be a hit on the Gram, but if you ask us, what’s on the inside is even better. Full to the brim of miracle moisturising ingredient squalane, this glow-giving serum sits somewhere between a serum and an oil. With a lightweight texture but a finish that packs a serious glowy punch, use this in place of your nightly moisturiser and wake up looking like you’re glowing from the inside out. Plus, it’s totally vegan and cruelty-free, a knockout product worth every bit of hype.

£32 | Bybi | Buy it now

Herbivore Pink Cloud Rosewater Moisture Cream

If you’re looking for a beauty product that can cross over as a form of ornate bathroom décor, look no further. Housed in a heavy glass jar, Pink Cloud Rosewater Moisture Cream might not be ideal for travelling, but it sure is something you should consider leaving on the side to impress your guests. What’s more is that the moisturiser itself is the ultimate winter treat for your skin - seriously, it's incredible. Thick, rich and wonderfully soothing, the rose water works to minimise redness while kukui oil adds that all important glow.

£42 | Space NK | Buy it now

Huda Beauty Rose Gold Palette Remastered

If you know, you know. Not many makeup items can compete with the beauty of a Huda palette, and we think the Rose Gold Remastered takes the biscuit. There’s something quite refreshing about a beauty brand taking a look at one of its best-selling products and finding ways to make it even better, and that is exactly what Huda Beauty did earlier this year with the original Rose Gold Palette. The brand, which is founded by social media queen Huda Kattan, fine tuned the product so that it now includes the perfect mix of pressed glitter shadows and buttery mattes. These powders might look too good to touch but trust us when we say it’s so worth it.

£56 | Cult Beauty | Buy it now

Glossier You Perfume Solid

If, when scrolling through your newsfeed, you have frequently spotted a pink egg-looking item amongst the shelfies and flat lays, it’s likely this. When US brand Glossier released their first fragrance, You, back in 2017, it was love at first sniff. However, fast-forward to 2018 and the brand have one-upped themselves. Encased in a pink metal compact that is sculpted to fit perfectly in your hand, this solid fragrance is like no other we have tried before. Sure, it has the same distinctive blend of ambrette, musk and pink pepper as the original, but something about this makes it longer lasting and easier to wear. Simply swivel the top and apply the balm behind your ears and to your wrists for a mystifying scent that lasts well into the night. But, just in case you do need a touch up, the compact size means it fits perfectly in your clutch.

£19 | Glossier | Buy it now

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Volume 4

Whenever Hourglass release a new limited edition palette, you can guarantee it’s going to be an Instagram hit. Comprising of six reflective finishing powders, the latest of the bunch, Volume 4, comes in a stylish metallic pink compact, making it perfect for travelling or on-the-go touch-ups. Through using Photoluminescent Technology, Hourglass powders give a glow to the skin that very few others can achieve. To see you through party season and beyond, this multi-use palette answers to all of your blush, bronze, highlight and contour needs.

£69 | Feel Unique | Buy it now

Verdict:

With hundreds of new releases proving a hit on Instagram this year, settling on one to crown as the best is no mean feat. For makeup, Fenty’s Stunna Lip Paints have stolen the show by finally mastering the balance of bold pigment without any sign of drying. But, for us, the real winner has to be the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask. As the colder months draw in and our skin starts to lose its glow and become increasingly lacklustre, this is the one product we can’t stop reaching for.